Automatic safety lock



April 12, 1938 R. PEARSON AUTOMATIC SAFETY LOCK Filed Aug. 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RAG/VAR PEARSON IIVVE/V TOR A TTOR/VEY Aprifl 12, 1938.

R. PEARSON AUTOMATIC SAFETY LOCK Filed Aug. .26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I II IIW N 0 J M 5 M i, A WW W R A TTOR/VEY Patented Apr. 12, 1938 PATENT O FlCE AUTOMATIC SAFETY LOCK Ragnar Pearson, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 26, 1935, Serial No. 37,787

Claims.

This invention relates to an improved automatic safety lock and has for one of its principal objects the provision of a lock particularly for doors of residences and the like, which shall be 5 proof against picking or any other unauthorized or felonious operations thereon.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide an automatic safety lock which ineludes in the latching element an auxiliary locking or holding device which shall render the same incapable of being operated except by a proper key or the handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety lock of the class described which shall be adaptable for either right or left-hand doors Without any changes in construction or operation.

A still further object is to provide an automatic safety lock of the type disclosed which shall be available for use with the remote controlled electrical release means now in vogue.

A still further object is to provide a locking element for doors or the like which will not get out of order, which will work even when the door is out of line or out of plumb, and which, furthermore, will eliminate the necessity of an extra latch or locking means which is ordinarily considered necessary for positive locking of doors upon which locks. of this type are ordinarily applied.

Another and still further important object of the invention is to provide, in an automatic safety lock, means whereby visual inspection will immediately indicate to the user or operator the condition of the apparatus, particularly whether or not the same is in looking position.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is shown in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved automatic safety lock of this invention, showing the same as applied to a more or less common type of mechanism used on the doors of residences or in similar places. This view shows the locking element in what might be termed right-hand position and also shows the auxiliary latching means in position to lock the door handle against operation from the outside.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, only showing the locking element in what might be termed left-hand position and illustrating the .door handle latching means as in retracted or released position.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the improved safety locking element which forms one of the 5 important features of this invention, and showing the cover portion removed.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the retracting element removed.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing 10 the auxiliary locking elements in retracted position.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'l-'! of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 3 and illustrating a preferred form of latch housing to be used with the invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of retractor.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral Ill indicates generally the casing of the improved automatic safety lock of this invention, the same having the usual front plate I2 and latch element l4 adapted to be operated in one instance by a key-controlled retractor l6 and in another instance by a handle-controlled retractor H3. The key is adapted to be inserted into the usual cylinder lock 29 which has a cam 22 adapted to cooperate with the element 16 in the usual fashion.

The latch element I4 is unique in that it has automatically retracted and extended auxiliary latching devices 24 and 26 respectively mounted therein which project laterally beyond the head or nose of the latching element and into the housing 23 and beyond the striker plate 3!] so that the locking element M cannot be forced into unlocking position by means of a knife blade or the like.

The auxiliary latching elements 24 and it are pivotally mounted at 23 in the latching element on suitable pins and are spring-pressed into normal locking position by means of a hair spring 3| as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

A retractor 32 is provided which has a pair of downwardly extending projections 34 which contact with corresponding portions 25 and 2'! respectively of the latching elements 24 and 25 so that when the retractor is pulled rearwardly by the action of the element it against the tension of the helical spring 36, the auxiliary latching elements are also retracted into the position shown in Figure 5 whereupon the door can be opened. The action is such that the retractor first pulls in the elements 24 and 26, and then draws the locking element M rearwardly, thereby assuring of proper clearance. The helical spring 38 is positioned on a supporting rod 38 Which is preferably integral with the lock bolt body M.

The retractor 32 has a nose 40 which projects slightly beyond the forward portion of the locking element M as best shown in Figures 1, 6, and 8, and this is adapted to contact the striker plate 42 when the door is pushed inwardly, thereby automatically retracting the elements 24 and 26, and holding them in such position until the entire latching element M is adapted to slide into the housing 28 behind the striker plate, whereupon the auxiliary locking elements 24 and 26 resume the position shown in Figure l.

The spring 36 is held in proper position on the rod 38 by means of a plate 44 (Figures 3 and 8) which is held in position in the casing by abutting against a pair of upwardly extending lugs it (Figure 1), and the latching element M itself is provided with the protuberances 48 on both faces which are adapted to slide in suitable grooves (not shown) in the casing ii].

Integral with the auxiliary locking elements 24 and 26 are extensions 54 and 56 which are also retracted by the element 32 and which, when in extended position, are adapted to contact with up:- standing elements 58 and Gil respectively in the casing ill. This assures that the locking element I 4 cannot be retracted in any unauthorized manner, and furthermore, one of these elements 54 or 56 depending upon the positioning of the lock bolt M is adapted to cooperate with a projection 50 integral with a slide 52 which is a portion of the handle locking means 6264l. It will be noted that in the position shown in Figure 1, the element 52 cannot be pushed into a forward or roll back 62 releasing position as the member 50 will abut against the projection 56 preventing rocking of the link 66. As soon as the projection 56 is retracted by operation of the key and the elements it and 22, this operation can be eifected, bringing these elements into the position shown in Figure 2, whereupon the handle can be turned. A link 66 pivoted at 68 connects the push-button elements 56 and w for joint operation, and a leaf spring 72 is provided which operates against a small cam-like protuberance M on the element 5052 preventing a dead-center position of same.

A modified form of the element 32 is shown at 82, this being in the form of a stamping having a nose 84 corresponding to the nose 40 of the element 32 and having projections 86 corresponding to the projections 34. The rear end of this retractor has the usual pair of plates 88 adapted to cooperate with the elements l6 and Hi.

It will be seen that herein is provided an automatic safety lock which, in addition to possessing all the advantages of the ordinary modern type of door lock, further provides an additional safety latching means in the form of the elements 2 and 26 which are automatically retracted upon operation of the door or the like by either the key or by simply pushing the same shut. Furthermore, the usual handle locking elements are so co-ordinated and connected with the automatically operating auxiliary latching elements of this invention that the same can practically not be picked or pushed or pried open in any unauthorized or wrongful manner, as either one of the projections 54 or 56 will positively prevent operation of the push-rods or buttons 52 and it unless the retraction of the entire lock structure M with all its auxiliary features is first accomplished. This cannot be done except by the use of a proper key or by manually pushing against the lock element I4 or possibly the elements 24, 26 or 40 when the door is open. Furthermore, in the event of such releasing operation, the auxiliary elements 24 and 26 are thereupon retracted, and such retracted position will be immediately apparent to the eye of the observer or user who will thereupon be advised that the entire structure is in released position.

The device is simple, contains only a few moving parts in addition to the usual lock structure of this type, can be readily operated, and is not likely to get out of order. Furthermore, it is positively proof against any unauthorized or wrongful operation.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. An automatic safety lock including a retractible latching means and auxiliary latching elements in the latching means, said auxiliary elements including a pair of oppositely disposed tiltable plates, and two projections on each plate, one projection cooperating with the keeper, and another with the lock casing, and a retractor for all of said latching elements, a stem in the latching means, a helical spring around the stem, and a guide plate for the stem.

2. An automatic safety lock, including a keyoperated latching element, handle means for also operating the same, means for locking the handle operating means against movement, and means in the latching element controlling said handle locking means.

3. An automatic safety lock, including a keyoperated latching element, handle means for also operating the same, means for locking the handle operating means against movement, and means in the latching element controlling said handle locking means, said means comprising an auxiliary latching means in the latching element.

4. An automatic safety lock, including a keyoperated latching element, handle means for also operating the same, means for locking the handle operating means against movement, and means in the latching element controlling said handle locking means, said means comprising an auxiliary latching means in the latching element, and a corresponding projection on the handle looking means.

5. An automatic safety lock, including a key and handle operated latching means and auxiliary latching elements-in the latching means, said auxiliary latching elements including a pair of laterally extending elements, and a cammed projection adapted to extend forwardly of the latching means, and a retractor actuated by either the key or handle for operating both the latching means and the auxiliary latching elements, and means for locking the handle against turning movement, a. portion of the auxiliary latching element cooperating with the handle locking means to prevent unauthorized releasing movement thereof.

RAGNAR PEARSON. 

